Breakfast Beast by Clown Shoes is a 10% ABV American Imperial Stout aged with Barrington Coffee Roasting and aged in bourbon barrels.

The beer is Breakfast Beast, a blend of Blaecorn Unidragon Russian imperial stout (12.5 percent ABV), Undead Party Crasher imperial stout (10 percent ABV) and an “experimental new stout” that was aged in bourbon barrels. In addition, cold brewed coffee sourced from Barrington Coffee Roasting Co. in Lee, Mass. was added to the beer before being bottled.

That type of beer you gotta wake up in the morning to. So damn good!! But the beast has always been awesome

This year’s Anniversary beer is a magical blend of five components. Chocolatey, mild Velvet Merkin takes the lead setting the stage full of lush malt and barrel driven texture, yet tempered alcohol strength. The rest of the components fall perfectly in line, backing Velvet Merkin up with luscious caramel complexity and a creamy malt symphony. The final component adds a new twist – the rum barrel-soaked and lean Helldorado makes its Anniversary debut, bringing a fresh splash of island-spice to a ridiculously balanced barrel-aged brew. This is one of those times that the whole truly equals more than the sum of its parts. I couldn’t be happier with the result.

This beer is unfiltered and unfined, so there will be a small amount of sediment in the bottom of the bottle. XXI is best enjoyed poured carefully into a half-filled brandy snifter or wine glass. Allow it to warm to 55F to fully enjoy the pleasing and complex aromas. As the beer sits and breathes in the glass the true complexity of this blend is revealed, so take your time. If you wait to open your bottle later, store it in a cool dark place. Like our other Anniversary offerings, this beer will age well and change favorably for years to come. It was an absolute pleasure in the making and I truly hope you enjoy our 12th oak-aged blend! The journey continues.

This beer is dedicated to all of the new mothers and fathers within the FW Family and to their little ones who are our future.

-Matt

Another awesome year of super duper delicious complex chocolate and dessert goodness

Fred by Hair of the Dog Brewing Company is a 10% ABV American Strong Ale

Created to honor beer writer and historian Fred Eckhardt. This golden strong ale incorporates ten hop varieties from five different countries. Through the use of aromatic and rye malt, the beer achieves a unique balance of flavor. Fred will inspire you to share your knowledge with others.

Wow.. Damn amazing… Never thought I’d find a tap of this… In all places.. Awesome.. Rich dark fruit and Dulce de lecher pudding

Obtained this one at my local Total Wine & More. The combination of two barrels has always been an up and coming unique trait of breweries. While it is now easier to find specialty aged beers, it is surely difficult to find some that actually do two or three barrels or more. So in those cases, a beer that is aged in several liquors may promise to be something truly unique. For the beers at the Lost Abbey, I have always liked certain beers they release even though some maybe totally out of my price range. Regardless, this one is one you can also find. Let’s have a look, cheers!

Overall:Pretty damn amazing! Exceptional and well one that is certainly worth cellaring. I really love this one as it complements the other cuvees of Cuvee De Tomme and Deliverance. Complexities from both barrels showcasing the special nuances that come with these complex beers. It is surely a bucket lister for me as I love the original beers on their own and love this blend even more. Cheers!

Anime Corner:Shiro from Deadman Wonderland was the perfect choice to pair with this beer not only for the sake of the name and for an anime based on death games. This beer also pairs well with Shiro’s dual personality as done with the Double barrel of bourbon and rum so both instances show case the complexity of the experience here. Shiro is also the color of death as well so overall, it was the best choice.

2017 Stronger Than Fiction by Bottle Logic is a 13% ABV American Strong Ale double barrel aged in Rum and Bourbon Barrels with Coconut & Coffee

Label:
==Introduction==
Luck seems to have a way of finding me when it comes to these super hard to find beers. I would of never really had this beer if it wasn’t for the one slight chance I stumbled upon one of the local stores and had it hidden away. Well, you know how I do with these things. If I can find something crazy, I will bring it to the forefront of the website and tell you what it is all about. Granted, the last 2 times I brought Bottle Logic to the site, while still skeptical, I was proven wrong in the uniqueness these beers brings. It is my only hope that this is a true and delicious as the claims show it to be.
Aromas:
Rich mocha, marshmallow, dulce de leche caramel, vanilla, hazelnut nectar, piña colada, fruit cake, complex chocolate, rocky road ice cream, almond joy, Kahlua Liqueur, raspberry chambord, Raspberry Gansito, Danish pasrty, cookie dough ice cream, Irish coffee, super complex chocolates, mixed nutes, trail mix, banana notes, maple syrup, mocha and tropical fruit.
Flavors:
Rich Almond Joy, Rocky road ice cream, marshmallow smores, French Vanilla, Dulce de leche caramel, dark chocolate, milk chocolate, yohoo, Belgian chocolate, German chocolate, Mexican chocolate, Raspberry Gansito, Raspberry chambord, honey, butterscotch, dark fruits raisins, black berries, figs, figgy pudding, plums, mocha, fancy coffee, tiramasu, frappuccino, piña colada, rum, bourbon, oak, fruit cake, Kahlua coffee liqueur, jamoca ice cream, hazelnut nectar, nutella, pecan pie, walnut cake, sweetened condensed milk, Irish coffee, Danish cream, toffee, 3 leche cake, dragon fruit, passion fruit hints, mango hidden, cookie dough ice cream, double espresso, steamed milk, maple syrup, rye bread, bananas, molasses, piloncillo sugar cone, burnt sugar hints and rock candy.
Aftertaste:
Finishes damn smooth vanilla, oak, toffee, marshmallows, piña colada, sweetened condensed milk, 3 leche cake, tiramasu, chocolate turtles, bourbon, rum, mocha and dulce de leche caramel. Alcohol? GTFO!! Non existent even for as strong as it is. Clear crimson body, Smooth, creamy, velvety and tantalizing mouthfeel along with a drinkability only similar to that of cold brew coffee.
Overall:
Damn it!!! Why do these bottles from Bottle Logic have to be bucket listers?! There’s a part of me that doesn’t want to buy into the hype but something immediately snapped back when I had this one. Granted, the double barrel aging I’m sure had something to do with it along with the perfect complementary combination of coconut for the Rum and Coffee for the bourbon that carried this one into the oblivion. Not only was the alcohol not there, it made me wonder if this was beer I was drinking or some fancy Khalua and Piña Colada Rum bliss wit bourbon. Crazy stuff they are making and well as I hate to admit, I really hope I can bring more of these bad boys to the site in the future. As for you, the reader, you know this one is blessed, so don’t skip this, embrace it!
Anime Corner:
YoRHa No.2 Type B/ 2B/ 2E “Executioner” from Nier: Automata was chosen in this pairing as I wanted to pair not only with the colors of the beer but also the name of the beer. Stronger than fiction essentially is irony since you have a character that is not only not a human being in the series but an android who is essentially a super strong bad ass!

2017 Iridium Flare collaboration by Bottle Logic and Superstition Meadery is a 13.3% ABV American Strong Ale brewed with Honey and Marionberries aged in Bourbon Barrels.

Label:

Enter level II clearance – Arizona’s Superstition Meadery runs the gauntlet on high scores in the mead area. Our mead-inspired combo breaker is a concentrated punch of sweetness drawn out across a thick, viscous body. Arizona wildflower honey succumbs to the tart brightness of marionberries with bruleed sugar barrel finish. End transmission.

==Introduction==

Holy shit what a find. They say rare treasures are only there for those that look into the deep! What a rare find indeed. Bottle Logic hyped beers are stupidly ridiculously hard to find. If there are any beers in the current age of 2017 that would ask the question, well, whats the latest trend in terms of rare beers, Bottle Logic is it! Or at least their super damn special releases which are ridiculous to get. Like there is no way I could of ever got this bottle and I live locally. Unless I actually made a huge overnight light at Bottle Logic to get a chance to land some of these, they are just not worth it. One of the biggest beers they have is Fundamental Observation along with Number Crunch, Dark Star November, Leche Borracho, Fundamental Forces and so so so many others that are quick to sell out. Hell, it was only this year that they barely even got to a damn retail store let alone not have to pay 100$s of dollars of beers just to get one of their beers. Yea I know, ridiculous right?!?! I however, did not have to do any of this. Granted it was the very damn last bottle I saw by pure fucking luck on my way out of Whittier Liquor Mart. In fact, there was no way, there was just no fucking way I was this lucky to land something like this especially at the store. It’s just not possible. Heck I’m here right now with this beer and I still don’t believe it. But it was true. That damn bottle peered like a ghost who taps you on that cold shoulder but there it was. The last fucking bottle of a beer called Iridium Flare, a beer named after the shooting star effect that happens on the night sky due to the glare that’s given off when sunlight hits a satellite moving at hundreds of MPH. Yes, it was not the most hyped like the others but it had something to back it up for sure, that bottle logic name and a special release written all over it and somehow ended up in my hands with none the wiser as to this being the last bottle. So yeah, when I find something I think might be considered a great lost treasure worth taste and experience, you best believe that this might be it. Let’s have a looks, cheers!!!

No alcohol in the taste, Deep Magenta and Crimson light to medium body, creamy, smooth, syrupy

Overall:

Berries and cream, Berries and cream, I’m a little lad that loves berries and creeeeaaamm!! f y’all don’t remember that commercial from back in the late 90’s then where have you been? Berries and cream was like my mixed berry chocolate and white chocolate. No joke, legit, there is a damn crazy reason why the hell this one is hyped. I swear, I really swear I have tried so many awesome beers and do honestly believe there I better out there, but this? This right here is really ridiculous. I’m really mad because this is so damn awesome and for the longest time I was such as skeptic about some of these beers believing it is all hype. I don’t know what it is but this beer is only a sample of the many beers I have not tried and hope to try granted I could find them and not have to trade for them or get them online. I’m pretty torn because I want to say, you should really check this out if you can get it but I really don’t recommend you go out of your way if you can’t find it. Yes, it is a definitely a bucket lister in so many ways but the fact of the matter is, with the current hype it is just not worth it to get it unless you can find it locally or are really willing to trade for this. Luck is the devil of details, you decide!!

Anime Corner:Reiko Mikami from the Ghost Sweeper Mikami series was used in this special occasion to pair with the rich colors of berries mixed into this. The reds, the purples, the oranges and even the greens. Whatever you would like to see. However, the other reason why I chose Mikami for this pairing is mainly that as a Ghost Sweeper/Buster she takes down malignant spirits. Being’s of the undead you can only see glimpses of as they blend into this reality like a bad reception of the television. Essentially, like the actual Iridium Flare that cuts through the night sky like butter and a shooting star, Reiko can see them. Let’s be honest, her damn special ghost saber is what cuts those ghosties like butter. In a way, her weaponry is like that of the Iridium Flare, the beer/sattellite that I only got a glimpse of by pure fucking luck and have no way of getting a chance at this again. Let’s see what the future holds, cheers!

Box Set Track# 11 Devil Went Down To Georgia by The Lost Abbey is a 12% ABV American Strong Ale brewed with Peaches and Black Tea aged in Heaven Hill Bourbon Barrels.

Label:

Commercial Description:

Formerly known as “Vern”. Reviews from 2011 are for the initial pilot batch (Vern) of what would become Track 11 the next year.

A experimental re-mix track, Track 11 is our Angel’s Share that we aged in fresh Heaven Hill Bourbon barrels for 9 months. To this we added some awesome whole peach slivers, black tea, and a splash of Brettanomyces Clausenni to ferment the peaches. The beer has a great peach nose and a long carmelized bourbon finish. One of the most experimental of all the track series beers.

==Introduction==

Formerly known as “Angel’s Share – Bourbon Barrel Aged With Peaches & Black Tea”, this beer was released back in 2012 as part of the 13 tracks of rock and roll for the lost abbey. It was renamed as Track#11 “The Devil Went Down To Georgia” by Charlie Daniels Band. These 13 beers were hard to get since once needed to purchase a lottery ticket and then if they won, they would get the option to but the whole thing for about $300. Yes, that set of 13 beers is pricey and it was definitely something I did not bother to invest in. I don’t like hyped stuff when it comes to jumping through hoops or “Black Friday” style of overnight camping and standing in line. I have usually obtained beers either online or through trades. This set was pretty ridiculous to get but I figured one that one day they would release them one at time. I figure I would get the ones that intrigued me the most. Well, this one was one of those and I am glad they have it for the public. You should be able to find this wherever they sell Lost Abbey beers or in most places. I am here to see if this beer is worth what I was hoping for. Angel’s Share along with Deliverance and Serpent’s Stout are one of my favorite Lost Abbey beers and now this being a variant, I know it can only be way better . Let’s take a look, cheers!

Simply orgasmic! Like a pleasure music in the form liquid and super pleasing to the mind and the taste buds. This being part Angel Share makes it happen already but that Peach and Black tea take things to a whole new level of complexity. I can definitely hope The Lost Abbey releases some of their other brews out as they are very enticing and supreme. I highly recommend this one.

Anime Corner:

Astaroth from Shinra Bansho was used in this pairing as she was the first demon girl aside from Morrigan and Lilith that I was very fond of. A character that is sweet at heart like the peaches in this beer but just happens to look very sinister like the Black Tea and the bourbon barrels this was aged in. Just because a devil is a devil doesn’t meant it will always be evil or have bad intentions. This was made with Angel Share afterall. The sweet melody is very enticing.

You Know What Time It Is! Collaboration by The Bruery and The Full Pint.com is a 15.1% ABV American Strong ale brewed with Peanut Flour, Salt and Boysenberries added aged in Bourbon Barrels.

Label:

Stately Affair!

==Introduction==

It’s peanut butter jelly time peanut butter jelly time! Where You at, Where You at? Now there ou go there you go, peanut butter jelly peanut butter jelly!! Damn. If PB Thursday wasn’t enough, they went ahead and added some jelly into the peanut butter mix! Granted, this is not Black Tuesday, but it might as well be. This beer since its inception was another beer that came from waayyyyy left field along with what White chocolate with cherries. I have to admit, the Bruery keeps pushing that damn limit of taste and experience forward and forward with every release. It’s a reason I am still a member of their reserve society for many years. This beer might just be the next favorite in the list of supremes for me from the Bruery. Time to take it to trial! Cheers!

That baseball bat had nothingon this extremely bready, peanut butter and mixed berry jelly dessert. No fucking contest. This thing is definitely something that I think can stand toe to toe with the greats of Brury’s Weekday series, the White Chocolates and even more! I have no wordsleft to describe this glory of a beer. It is essentially something that I always wanted to see bottled. I have tried the few PB&J beers I could get my hands on and all were phenomenal, but this… this is just to the amazing super 4th or 5th dimension above. Get this beer if you can!!! They might still have it on tap as of August 2017!

Anime Corner:

Sash Lilac from Galaxy Trail Studios series, Freedom Planet! Was used in this pairing because a beer of this caliber definitely needed a character that paired greatly with my love for peanut butter and peanut butter jelly beers. Since I have been notorious to pair may favorite anime waifus in with some of the Bruery’s best, it was time that I brought her into the mix. What’s not to complement? Sash lilac is essentially that purple jelly that was missing from this peanut butter craze of mine. She is technically my new favorite addition to my already favorite list of top favorite anime characters only followed by Kos-mos, Temari, Yoruichi and Ryuko. She’s fast as hell and has a rightful sense of justice, she is humble and will stop at nothing to help out her friends and loved ones. Just the right character to pair a beer such as the this to the almighty Weekday series and above. This Peanut butter and jelly craze!

Many know the story of Dracula and the origin of vampires being from the very Vlad Țepeș (The Impaler), son of Vlad Dracul (The Dragon/Devil). While during his life, he had done many atrocities like impaling people and drinking their blood. Even so, many did not know that he bore children.

Little is known about his daughter Lilith/Zaleska Dracula who also had a thirst for blood like her father. Although, killing was not her style and she chose to deal with this by creating a substitute. You see, in those days, where magic and alchemy were abundant, all she had to do was come up with the right incantation, ingredients and rituals. Of course, she had to pull a couple of favors to get the recipe just right and thankfully, she had perfected something that has survived the centuries. It was hidden in Dracula’s Castle in Transylvania, until today!

American Strong Ale brewed with Black Hole Necromancer Remy Martin Cognac Barrel Aged Red Eye Unicorn Blood Espresso Coffee Beans, Maple Syrup and Oak aged in Maker’s Mark 46 Bourbon==Introduction==Project #30 was inspired by One of the ultimate Double Bastard variants called “Arrogant Bastard’s Midnight Brunch”. Double Bastard has always been one of my favorite beers from stone since the first time I found it long after trying Arrogant bastard. In Midnight Brunch, they took the Double Bastard, American Strong ale, added espresso beans and aged in in maple syrup and bourbon barrels. It was definitely a huge beer that made me a fan of making my own.

One of the beers that was similar but not exact was the Highwater Sugaree which used similar ingredients but added pecans. So essentially, I did research for a Double Bastard recipe. Then, to add my own ingredients, I added a very special coffee. The Black Hole Necromancer Remy Martin Cognac Barrel Aged Red Eye Unicorn Blood Espresso Coffee Beans (What a mouthful!!) from Dark Matter Coffee was the ingredient that was created in collaboration with Three Floyd’s Cognac Barrel aged Dark Lord Imperial stout in 2015. They took the barrels that had that beer and cognac and aged their Unicorn Blood Coffee Beans into it. Essentially, this would add a special key set of flavors to my brew not found in any of the other beers. Putting all that together and into a secondary with maple syrup and Maker’s Mark 46 Bourbon and half a year later out comes something that was very different from even from that of the Midnight Brunch. Now that I brought it here to the website, let’s have a look at this creation, Cheers!Aromas:Lots of maple syrup, bourbon, vanilla, mocha, coffee, oak, Cadbury caramel and chocolate cream eggs, Irish cream, Danish cream, campfire smores, peppery notes, pecan pie, port wine, hazelnut nectar, tiramasu cake, jamoca ice cream, maple coffee cake, dulce de leche caramel, toffee, dark fruit raisins, cherry, figs, dates, currants, stone fruit old mango, candied orange notes, chambord raspberry, marshmallows, toasted coconut, earthy dark chocolate, Mexican chocolate, milk chocolate, pancakes and flan.Flavors:Rich oak, vanilla, mocha, roasted coffee, fancy coffee, Khalua Coffee, peanut butter notes, marzipan, mazapan, pecan pie, port wine, bourbon, cognac hints, maple syrup, dulce de leche caramel, toffee, dark fruit raisins, cherry, figs, dates, currants, stone fruit old mango, candied orange notes, chambord raspberry, marshmallows, toasted coconut, earthy dark chocolate, Mexican chocolate, milk chocolate, pancakes, crème brulee, Cadbury caramel and chocolate cream eggs, Irish cream, Danish cream, campfire smores, pepper notes, banana, earthy hop notes, sweetened condensed milk, flan, fruit cake, capirotada raisin bread pudding, figgy pudding, molasses, tiramasu cake, jamoca ice cream and maple coffee cake.Aftertaste:Finishing with maple syrup pancake notes, earthy chocolate, oak, marshmallows, vanilla, dark fruit, toffee, caramel, crème brulee, flan and fruit cake. No alcohol in the taste despite the high 12% ABV. Amber Crimson Full body, smooth, velvety creamy and syrupy mouthfeel along with a sipping drinkability.Overall:Absolutely phenomenal! This is indeed a brunch or breakfast beer, if your breakfast is late at night. It has almost everything I loved about the Midnight Bruch from Stone but with the addition of the coffee and my own ingredients, the beer became some other creature entirely. The coffee added some most inner depth that I did not find in even the depth charged or the Midnight Brunch. While I feel it is worthy of a bucket lister, it would not make sense since this is such a rarity not found anywhere. This right next to Sangrileche 2 are probably the best beers I have ever made. Yet, some of my other barrel aged and other experimental batches have been the best too. It is hard to decide, but this is definitely on another level even for the different craft beers I have had in the past.Anime Corner:Lilith Aensland from Capcom’s Darkstalkers was used in this pairing as I have used her in many of the Stone beers including many of the double bastard iterations. While I did use Etna from Disgaea for the Stone Midnight Brunch, I wanted to pay tribute in my own creation to Lilith for coming up with an inspired beer. While she along with Morrigan are some of my favorite characters from the Darkstalkers series, it was only fitting that I used a beer that fits the curriculum of vampires having their brunch after hours when there is no sun outside. Essentially, when the name of “Midnight Brunch” came about, I could only think of how vampires probably do their breakfast or brunch at Midnight. So the story was born!Sources:https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/originals/f2/3b/c3/f23bc3f028786ed7269e74c157f80798.jpghttp://livedoor.blogimg.jp/wakusoku/imgs/a/2/a244a2bf.jpghttp://i.imgbox.com/dGLRkI0j.jpghttp://1.foto.radikal.ru/0601/b7bd5d5bf0ce.jpghttp://t03.deviantart.net/znLHcT5m7cFv_fuVEpYSgETCnV4=/fit-in/700×350/filters:fixed_height(100,100):origin()/pre04/4bd8/th/pre/i/2015/103/0/d/lilith_aensland_wallpaper_4k_by_jaksonstoker-d8plg0v.pnghttp://img05.deviantart.net/cb03/i/2014/266/a/e/lilith_aensland_wallpaper_by_jaksonstoker-d809i3x.pnghttp://static.zerochan.net/Lilith.Aensland.full.802428.jpghttp://static.zerochan.net/Lilith.Aensland.full.309888.jpghttps://brewerianimelogs.files.wordpress.com/2017/05/11d62-10cfd7fc39e678c7f9efc044037b16fe.jpg

Sugaree offers a big slice of flavors that you wish Grandma had put in her famous Thanksgiving pie. Sit back, relax and enjoy a wonderful bottle of liquid love. You will be transported back to times of holiday joy and family get togethers from the past. This is a special treat from us to you, to help relive some of those special memories or maybe help create some new ones.

==Introduction==High Water brewing is a brewery I haven’t had a chance to try much. I think I have seen some of their beers at the store before but this was the first time one of them really caught my eye. Being a fan of dessert beers, it is a major weakness of mine. I love sweet beers so this bourbon barrel aged maple and pecan pie beer sounded awesome! The last time I had something similar was the Southern Slice from Terrapin and Cigar City, which was awesome! I know I would have to gauge this one a bit different from that one but I am definitely glad I was able find it to bring it to the site. Let’s have a look, cheers!

2009 Fort (aged 7 years) by Dogfish Head is an 18% ABV American Strong Fruit Ale brewed with Raspberry Puree.

Label:Flavored ale fermented with over a ton of fresh, pureed raspberries. This flavored ale was made to age with the best of ’em.

==Introduction==I purchased 2 of these beauty back in 2011. I had set one aside and drank that one back then. In accordance with the recommended aging for this one or 7 years, I had finally decided to drink it but drink it as close to the end of the year as possible. We are approaching 2017 and I had set the bottle date for 2016. It is now time to unleash what nature has done best for this amazing epitome of raspberries. Since 2009, I do not think they have released a 750ml 18% brew. Heck even the 120 minute IPAs and World Stouts were all in 12 ounce bottle. Of all the beers that Dogfish has ever made, this was one that was very damn close to my heart. So damn close that even to this day, I could not believe that they would release an 18% ABV of this size. No brewery at the time and aside from the Bruery, would ever release such a size for huge high gravity beer. Today I pay tribute to all the raspberry beers I have ever tried starting from this one, The Lost Coast Raspberry brown, The Dragon’s Milk Raspberry from New Holland, The Imperial Biscotti Break Umami from Evil Twin, Hoarders Cuvee from the Bruery and even my very own Raging Passio Lactus Raspear Dragons brew which was one of my top tier homebrew due to my love of this fruit. To many more Raspberry brews I have tried over the years and loved and even raspberry ciders. This goes to all, cheers and a happy 2017!Aromas:Supreme Raspberries, dark fruit raisins, caramel, honey, White Chocolate, Milk Chocolate, dark chocolate, Raspberry Cadbury Chocolate and Caramel cream eggs, bananas, clove spice, stone fruit apricot hints, peaches, apples, honey, Chambord Raspberry liqueur, Red Velvet cake, Mexican Jericalla Custard, rum soaked raspberries, dark candi sugar, rock candy, Raspberry chocolate cordials, Raspberry Cheesecake, Sakura cake, sweetened condensed milk, tropical fruits like, lychee, guava, kiwi, dragon fruit, passion fruit, pomegranates, fruit cake, cane sugar and raspberry yogurt.Flavors:Rich Raspberries bliss, dulce de leche caramel, rich honey, dark fruit currants, blackberries, blueberries, slight cranberries, pomegranates, tropical passion fruit, dragon fruit, kiwi, strawberries, guava nectar, lychee fruit, tangerine hints, stone fruit, peaches, apricots, apples, Mexican Jericalla Custard, Raspberry Cadbury Chocolate and Caramel cream eggs, bananas, clove spice, Raspberry yogurt, raspberry preserves on rye bread, leather hints, Chambord Raspberry liqueur on Red Velvet cake, Raspberry cheesecake, Raspberries and Danish cream, berries and cream, rum soaked raspberries, dark candi sugar, rock candy, bubblegum, raspberry cream pie, wine grapes, Sakura cake, raspberry maple syrup, raspberry membrillo, flan, milk chocolate, Raspberry chocolate cordials, coffee cake, raspberry mocha ice cream, White Chocolate Raspberry and Raspberry sweetened condensed milk.Aftertaste:Finishes with everlasting Raspberry creamy bliss, honey, Chambord Raspberry liqueur, raspberry cobbler, leather note, rye bread, dark fruits, stone fruits, vanilla, caramel, biscuit bread, and hazelnut nectar. No alcohol in the taste. Years has mellowed the alcohol strength. Crimson Honey full body, silky creamy, smooth, velvety and chewy mouthfeel and easy drinkability which is extremely dangerous. The process of aging has made this one so damn easy to drink, I could finish the whole bottle in one sitting. That will not be done thought. Maybe….Overall:Heaven knows what cellar aging has done for this beer. This beer was in no shape or form offensive. It doesn’t even feel like an 18% ABV beer anymore. It drinks like pure heaven. Hell, I’ll be damned if I drink the whole thing. Who knows, it has probably gone up to 20% ABV over the years. All I know, is that if there ever was a true treasure in the books of taste and experience for the very concept of raspberries, this here is that very treasure. It is killer, like the forbidden fruit or Pandora’s box unleashed, this hits with a ton a bricks. Seductive and Sensual but if you finish the whole bottle in one sitting, as they say in Death Battle… K.O.!!!!!!!!!!!! This beer is definitely one of my top ten beers regardless and I would suggest when you buy the 12 ounce (and the 750ml if they ever sell those again) do yourself a favor and age it for the 7 years.Anime Corner:Sakura Haruno from Naruto was used in this pairing as I used her for the original Fort and the 2015 Fort. Her hair and over all colors match that of the colors, flavors and the label itself with the green colors representing the eyes of the girl in the label. Sakura is not weak by any means. She has ridiculous super human strength and her punches represent that pure raspberry punch I was mentioning earlier. The alcohol is her strength and the sweetness is her desires. Since this is the 7 year, which according to Dogfish Head is the peak of aging for this one, a laid back and Sexy Sakura was in damn order. She finally woke up after her 7-year slumber as is ready to kick some ass again, just gently first.Sources:https://skategb.files.wordpress.com/2015/12/595882.jpghttp://www.chuing.net/zboard/revol_getimg.php?id=mfa&no=48179&num=0&fc=d920683bfdb39f570ee673b6580a4334http://i43.tinypic.com/25d2r.jpghttps://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/originals/80/c3/59/80c3596181ba95dd57c5cfee856de93f.jpghttp://aws-cf.ados.fr/prod/photos/6/6/1/7855661/2691782/big-26917823d5.jpg?v=5

Hammer of The Beast by Clown Shoes is an 11.75% ABV American Strong Ale Cuvee consisting of a Smoked Imperial Stout brewed with Holy water, a Russian Imperial Stout and an English Style Barley Wine all aged in 40 year old Jamaican Rum Barrels. An even more ultimate, Cuvee of dreams!

Label:How do you amplify a beast that is half unicorn and half dragon and who has already escalated from angry, to very angry, to extremely angry? Give it a hammer! The fifth installment in The Beast series blends equal part Undead Party Crasher, Billionaire, and Blaecorn Unidragon, all aged in rum barrels. We’ll respect you if you run, but respect you even more if you can tackle The Hammer Of The Beast

==Introduction==Every year, the Blaecorn Unidragon gets armored up more and more as the variety of barrel aging spirits are added. Similar to the way one chooses variants of equipment in video games, it seems each year they just get better and better. This year they combined 3 beers and aged them in rum barrels in the style of the Hammer of the Holy. Essentially, I am not sure how much more powerful they can make the Unidragon but damn, I will sure try and cover each awesome installment in the series as I go along. Let’s take on this beast! Cheers!

Overall:Another exceptionally awesome release from Clown Shoes and definitely a bucket lister. Each year unique and ever adding more or varying the aging of spirits and beers but this was very damn amazing. Tropical flavors and chocolate flavors work very well. Complexity is definitely through the roof as goes with many of the beers I enjoy and especially if you been a fan of the series, do yourself a favor and get this one. I highly recommend you find this one. Clown Shoes killing it every time!Anime Corner:Tia Harribel, Nelliel Tu Odelschwanck, Yoruichi Shihouin and Matsumoto Rangiku from Bleach have always represented some aspect of the clown shoes beers in my past reviews. Tia is the Undead Party Crasher/Vampire Slayer. Nelliel has always been the original Unidragon and Yoruichi would be added for good measures since the Porcine Unidragon came out. This time she represents the Barleywine. The blend of each beer together and the unleash of the Extremely Angry beast can be best represented when all three together are looking like bad asses powering up to team up against great foes. The other thing though is since Tia also represented the Hammer of Holy, in this instance she unleashes pure fury so all three battle it out in this bottle. It really kicks ass. The strength and complexity has come together very epically that I could not think of any other pairing artwork that would be the best representative of this beer. Also I included Matsumoto Rangiku as an extra to be Rum.

==Introduction==Hot Diggity Damn! The BBLs has been hard to come by. Not all versions of these special Melange type blends actually make it to bottles nor do they make it to even reserve members. This special blend was a tap room exclusive and it was one I could not pass up especially since they actually allowed the purchase of it via a 32 ounce growler. Knowing the Bruery for making beers that taste exactly or super close to what they say it would, I think nothing less that this would taste like an actual Cherry Chocolate Cordial especially with the ingredients used. Tart Cherries, vanilla and cacao nibs. Let’s take a look and see if it’s true, cheers!

Overall:Amazingly ridiculous. A bucket lister if they ever put it in bottles. This beer is ridiculous. The tartness from the cherries balances out the sweetness from the chocolate and vanilla that it makes it decadent. I definitely think this should actually be their next bottling as it is too damn perfect. I don’t know if they will have this one at the Bruery by the time the review comes out but I am hoping that if you ever see this one, do not skip out on it. It was definitely worth the pick up to bring it to the site and I highly recommend this one.Anime Corner:Sakura Haruno from Naruto as I wanted to pair the colors of dark chocolate cherry and she seemed to fit the bill just nicely. Like biting into a plumpy Choco cherry cordial, this beer is damn irresistable. The tart sour aspects come from her attitude as well as her inner rage known as Inner Sakura. This beer is no joke and the strength wielded by its ABV can be deadly and bliss at the same time.Sources:http://www.chuing.net/zboard/revol_getimg.php?id=mfa&no=48179&num=0&fc=d920683bfdb39f570ee673b6580a4334https://skategb.files.wordpress.com/2015/12/595882.jpghttp://photos.hdlandscapewallpaper.com/anime/naruto/naruto2670.jpg

Commercial Description:This one of a kind offering is brewed to celebrate 5 years of beer! Brewed with 5 different malts, 5 different sources of fermentable sugars, 5 hop varieties and 5 yeasts. We hope you’re sitting down for this one…

==Introduction==Thanks to my friend Aaron Mendiola fromBeerMetalDude.comwho was able to get me this one. I have heard this one was difficult to get as the demand for this one was great and it was a limited edition brew. I think everything I have tried from Karbach has been insanely delicious. Definitely from perfect to exceptional type of brews. Even if it was unfortunately, purchased by ABInBev. While I don’t like that they purchase breweries to “disrupt” the craft beer growth, on one hand, this could possibly mean more distribution for Karbach. Only the future will tell and for this being their 5th and final anniversary (ABInBev pre-purchased) this should probably be a sought out one. They will have more Anniversaries I’m sure but for now, let’s take a look at this one, cheers!

2016 Hoarders Cuvée by The Bruery is an 18.5% ABV American Strong Ale/Old Ale/Cuvée hybrid aged in bourbon barrels, raspberries, vanilla beans and cacao nibs.Label:An invitation to join The Bruery Hoarders Society is the ultimate nod in how far you’ve come in your craft beer journey. Each year as a member, you get access to some of the most elusive and exclusive beers (such as this) and one-of-a-kind experiences, like going toe-to-toe with your peers in blending sessions exclusive to Hoarders.

This Cuvée is the icing on the cake – literally – as it took top honors in the Hoarders Cuvée blending tournament to be produced by The Bruery in 2016. Featuring a nearly equal blend of our most storied bourbon barrel-aged beers – Black Tuesday and our anniversary ale – with additions of raspberries, vanilla beans and cacao nibs, this beer was designed by Hoarders Society member, Paul Moore, and his teammate, Luis Barriga, to embody the ultimate cupcake. It’s the first fruited beer of its kind out of The Bruery, and a fitting release for the first installment in the newly minted Hoarders Cuvée series.==Introduction==Exclusively released to Hoarders Society only, unless you can trade for another Hoarders member or there is a special someone that is a huge fan of the site to donate! They basically made a special edition Mélange X (by X I mean some kind of number given to Mélange beers that mix Black Tuesday, Anniversary Ales and other ales or ingredients). I’ll be honest, there would be no way I could get my hands on this unless I buy it in the special online sites or trade. This website has slowly been grabbing a small trend of followers of which I especially admire. They were able to donate this one to me seeing as I love lots of the Bruery beers. As a Reserve member I can only bring so much to the table to help those that look for these beers. So they decided to make some kind of raspberry cupcake beer. It is very interesting as my last home brewing experiments with raspberries lead to a crazy fruity beer about “DRAGONS”. Interesting stuff for sure but this is the first time they release some Hoarders exclusive beer. Seems very special to and one I am happy to have you guys to thank, my readers and fans to provide this one to me. Let’s have a look! Cheers!Aromas:Super Rich Raspberry chocolate, cake, oak, bourbon, vanilla, dulce de leche caramel, Banana Split Sundae, pecan pie, fruit cake, hazelnut nectar, sweetened condensed milk, marshmallows, raspberry cheesecake, flan, crème brulee, dark fruit raisins, blackberries, currants, plums, blueberries, red velvet cake, berries and cream, raspberry indulgence candies, Danish cream, dark chocolate, cherry chocolate cordials and Chambord raspberry liqueur.

Overall:A bucket lister in its own damn right. Reminding me in some ways of my own creation, the Raging Passio-Lactus Raspear Dragons but basically missing the chocolate and vanilla and very important, the awesomeness of Black Tuesday and their Anniversary Old Ale. Essentially, my brew is still leagues away in complexity simply due to what I was going for. Nevertheless, the interesting combination of Raspberries, Chocolate and Vanilla are definitely something I plan to focus on. Essentially, this bucket lister gave me more ideas for another home brew. What can I say, when you home brew, you have a bit of knowledge which is power to make similar great beers. Even so, I still help local breweries to share info on them from the site. As far this raspberries chocovanille buttercup goes, I extremely recommend to those who definitely want to seek it. I have tried so many great beers and this is hugely, one of a kind!!!!Anime Corner:Yoko Littner from Tengen Toppa Gurren Laggan was previously chosen when I did the review for Cacaonut. She was used in that special Bruery beer but sadly, the beer was short lived due to lactic infections in the beer. Since then I had not used her in another beer pairing. However, seeing as a beer that used raspberry and chocolate as well as vanilla in a Bruery beer, I had to bring her back. Especially since I had done an awesome review with her in my first Raspberry bourbon barrel-aged stout. Although that one did not have chocolate and vanilla and was more about the emphasis on tropical and exotic fruits. As I drank this though, some flavors of the beer did remind me of my home brew, so there was definitely a need to bring her back to the mix. Besides, for a special brew like this, I have to choose some of the best characters. Aside from the colors of the ingredients like vanilla and raspberry which can be easily seen through her colors, the armored dark dragon knight armor she wears with her holding the fireball represents something important about the name “Hoarders”. Essentially, I think, which may not be true but, if you are a Hoarder (especially Hoarders Society) and feel really awesome about your status, you are represented by unlimited power as shown by Yoko. However, with great power comes great responsibility as Uncle Ben from Spiderman once said to Peter Parker. Essentially, enjoy that society has given you the ability to enjoy something that the few can only understand but do not forget where you came from. Absolute Power can corrupt Absolutely. Love your beer friends, share a beer or whatever you hoard. Let others know you can still be humble. Yoko despite her hardships still knew how to help others and was a selfless character, Hot anime girl appearances aside. Definitely check out Tengen Toppa Gurren Laggan.Sources:http://i.imgur.com/x6kW2EV.jpghttps://brewerianimelogs.files.wordpress.com/2016/10/fdb44-digitalartbyyuewang23.jpghttp://move.loveisover.me/foolfuuka/boards/e/image/1437/49/1437496106755.pnghttps://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Zm7UfYc9NsE/VicaGg344cI/AAAAAAAAAHE/Z-xggTktIfQ/w800-h800/maid_ritona_render_by_ichigo_mazapan-d510np7.pnghttp://i.imgur.com/d5lIIqb.jpghttp://orig10.deviantart.net/650b/f/2012/323/3/a/yoko_littner_sexy_outfit_2_by_mactain-d5lh7wt.jpg

It has been quite some time since I tried a Ninkasi brew. When I first heard that they wanted to release a beer that was essentially a Cuvee of other beers in their profile, I was all for it. I figure this would be a great opportunity to see how it compares to other great Cuvees like Firestone Walker’s Anniversary ales. Essentially, they do the same process, blending different beers to create a special hybrid of a brew that can exceed expectations. This one uses 2 IPAs 2 Stouts and a Barleywine. Almost reminds me of some of the Bruery Melange beers too. So for me, that is awesome enough to bring it to the website. Let’s take a look at this monstrosity of a beer, cheers!

Overall:Above exceptional! Granted, I do love certain versions of the FW beers, this one deserves to be up there as well. There was so much complexity in this one where you know it has stout and IPA characters blend so well. Some aspects remind me of the Jewbelation brews from Schmaltz brewing which uses several different types of malts and hops. It seems some American Strong beers do use that method but the blending of different beers is altogether very different and if you love American Strong ales, you will find the difference in this one. It’s awesome! I highly recommend it.Anime Corner:The 5 Sailor Scouts, Serena/Usagi Tsukino, Amy/Ami Mizuno, Raye/Rei Hino, Lita/Makoto Kito, Mina/Minako Aino from Sailor Moon were used in this pairing to go with the different colors of the ingredients, flavors holographic labels and the 5 beers that were used to blend this brew. Rei is the Stout, Mina is the Barrel Aged stout, Lita the Total Domination IPA, Amy the Maiden the Shade and Serena the Critical Hit. All the colors and complexity were what I was going for when I decided to go with team Sailor Moon.

Mélange 15 by The Bruery is is a 14.8% ABV American Strong Ale Cuvee blend of an Imperial Stout (Black Tuesday) Barleywine (Mash) and old ale (Anniversary Ale) brewed with lactose, vanilla beans, cacao nibs, walnuts and aged in Bourbon barrels.

Label:Nuts & BBLS

We play with nuts and BBLs in this winning blend of barrel-aged beers. Designed to mimic the flavors of rocky road, this mélange took top place in our 2016 staff blending competition.

Our Mélange series is a playground for exploring flavors that cannot be achieved outside of the art of the blend or by any one beer. We had a particularly good time playing with nuts and BBLs in this winning blend of barrel-aged beers from our 2016 staff blending competition. Fueled by cheeseburgers and inspired by rocky road, we folded walnuts, cacao nibs from TCHO and vanilla into rich, bourbon barrel-aged barleywine and old ale to mimic the flavors of the rich, nutty dessert. Lactose was added to impart a marshmallow character and an extra creamy mouthfeel. We’re pretty nuts about it, and we think you will be too.

==Introduction==Released to the public and all societies, this the first time since Mélange 3, that a Mélange series beer is released outside of the societies. What an awesome release at that. Knowing the Mélange series pretty well, they are some of the best beers the Bruery has ever released. With this one being liquid Rocky Road Ice Cream in a bottle, I can only say that this is going to be gold. How can I say that without trying it? Well, my track record for reviewing these Mélange beers has shown that they keep pushing the bar with every release and I can only push so far up the bucket list. Yes, indeed, even before I review this one, I can safely say, it is going to be a bucket lister. The best part, now the public can get their hands on as many bottles as they can. Let’s delve into this shall we? Cheers!

Overall:Definitely without question, this is a major bucket lister. Since Mélange 12, I have not seen any other one top it and I honestly thing this one definitely tops that one even though the 12th was my favorite followed by the 3rd. This one just speak volumes and volumes. Like pieces of the best Black Tuesday variants like Chocolate Rain and Grey Monday are here. If you have a self-indulgence, guilty pleasure or a problem when it comes to something like Nutella or Rocky Road Ice Cream, this beer may be your devil’s water. But you know, you really have to take it all in sometimes and enjoy yourself once and awhile. Go get this bottle barrel aged and dessert beer lovers. Do it before it is gone!! You will not regret it!!!Anime Corner:Claire “Lightning” Farron from Final Fantasy XIII was used in this pairing to mainly go with the rich flavors of the beer although some of her colors do match with the colors of the beer. It has been a long time coming and I wanted to use Lightning in a Bruery beer but deciding which one was definitely the challenge. I wanted to choose a special occasion for a worthy beer pairing and now that I have seen what this is capable of, I set my eyes on her for this beer. A bad ass beer definitely deserves a bad ass character and art pairing.Sources:https://cdn.luscious.net/images/slywalker_96/457/lusciousnet_lusciousnet_1437152598845_1294766462.jpghttp://i99.beon.ru/s017.radikal.ru/i437/1507/fe/5fb4ecd4d9d3.jpghttps://pbs.twimg.com/media/CJ3_R8dUsAARpT1.jpg:large

We the Brewers of Avery Brewing Company, in order to form a more perfect ale, require a new leadership that can liberate us from our quagmires in foreign lands; embrace environmentally sound energy alternatives to imported oil; heal our ailing health care system; free us from tyrannical debt and resurrect the collapsing dollar. We hereby pledge to provide him or her with an ample amount of our Presidential Pale Ale to support in the struggle for the aforementioned goals! Hail to the New Chief!

Not an “Imperial” pale ale, this is a democracy. It’s Presidential! Take the all-American pale ale, a bipartisan blend of malt and hops, increase to both Avery Brewing standards, and then, of course, dry hop the result with that most quintessential of American hops, Cascades, and you get this… Ale to the Chief. A brew worthy of the Oval Office! Brewed with Rocky Mountain water, malted barley, hops and yeast.

==Introduction==

Released every 4 years, this is the first time I try this beer and one I have not heard of before. The fact that it comes out every 4 years to go with the elections is quite the tribute. While I don’t like to express my political views, this beer is nice to see who will be the next president of the United States. An interesting reason to make a beer but I think different things in life should be celebrated in the name of beer. Now, let’s take a look and see if this beer is worth the 4 year wait. Cheers!

Overall:Exceptionally delicious. A blend of pale ale, Barleywine and American dark strong brew is the only I can describe this one. You have a great mix of hops, an array for light to dark fruits, caramels and other dessert sweets. In some cases, like Barleywines and old ales, the malt over takes the hops but this one has a strong enough hop forward presence that makes it balanced. Once that I will need to find again and one I highly recommend you find too!

Anime Corner:Ryuuko Matoi from Kill La Kill was chosen in this pairing since I wanted to go with a character who is one major bad ass and a leader of her own series. Ryuuko For President! Essentially. She gets things done and doesn’t look back for such a bold and strong and yet balanced character to pair with a beer like this was something I had to choose. Besides, she’s a favorite of mine so no questions there. She looks like a queen on her throne.

Mélange 14 by the Bruery is a 13.4% ABV American Strong Ale/Cuvee composing 85% ale aged in Bourbon Barrels with 15% Imperial Stout.

Label:ONE FOUR ALL

This fusion puts the spotlight on the art of the blend and bourbon barrel-aged beer, with rich complex notes and signature kiss of oak.

Our Mélange series is a chance to roll out the barrels, roll up our sleeves and explore flavors that cannot be achieved outside of the art of the blend or by any one beer. French for “blend”, this mélange fuses the mature character of some of our most vintage barrels of barleywine and old ale with the dark depth of our imperial stouts, including both Tuesday-themed releases and Share This.

==Introduction==Mélange 14 was not only released to the different societies at the Bruery but also the public. With the release of Share This: Coffee, they created a variant that was blended with that beer, Black Tuesday as well as other beer which I believe are the Mash and their Anniversary series. The Mélange series has always been a personal favorite of mine since Mélange 3 and Mélange 12. Those beers have been a category of their own. While I did enjoy Share This: Coffee, I can only imagine into what depths this one will go. Let’s dig this rabbit hole, Cheers!

Overall:Definitely, let it warm up to unleash its true potential. An exceptional beer that I would take over Share This: Coffee although, Share This: Coffee has its own merits. Both beers are available to the public but you can’t really compare both as they are entirely different beer. This one is so damn coffee and complex flavor rich that I definitely highly recommended.Anime Corner:T-elos from Xenosaga was used in this pairing as I wanted to connect Black Tuesday, which is represented by KOS-MOS in another pairing, to T-elos who is another version of KOS-MOS, essentially, her evil sister. The addition of Share This: Coffee complements T-elos in her dark appearance because she also looks like Muramasa who I used in Share This: Coffee, however, T-elos actually more powerful. Thus, representing the complexity and ABV of this beer. The colors of the label also help the pairing work with her too.

2016 Dodie by The Bruery is an 11.7% ABV American Strong Ale aged in bourbon barrels with grape must, cherries, orange zest and spices.

Label:HOTSY TOTSY

Dodie is inspired by a classic New York concoction and shares a nickname with Grandma Rue, who was keen on the ritzy drink.

It’s time to dip the ill with Dodie. With no giggle juice on its rap sheet, it’s a dandy recreation of the profile of a classic Manhattan cocktail – from the grain (rye, wheat and barley), bourbon barrel -aged character, and blend of 20+ spices and grape must for bitters-eque and vermouth-like notes. Fancy a garnish? Cherries and orange zest come out as your kisser hits the glass.==Introduction==

Released to the Bruery Reserve Society. I didn’t think too much about this beer at first since I had no idea what it is about and yet the Bruery always surprises with their full on experimentations. Once I saw what it was I was definitely intrigued. A beer based on a mixed drink. Reminded me of the L’deracola (Cola flavored beer) or the El Roble (Margarita based beer). They always come up with great beers and definitely are an inspiration to homebrewing. It is because of their willingness to experiment that I have taken it upon myself to make my own experimentations. Let’s have a look at this one though and see what it has to offer, cheers!

Overall:Exceptionally awesome. I have had different mix drinks in the past and while I still have yet to try a Manhattan, this is pretty damn delicious. Almost as if it was what they were going for. Either way, it was enough for me to try to seek this one again. Spicy rich, fruity, citrucy and nutty, this one a highly recommended brew from me.

Anime Corner:Jessica Rabbit from Disney’s Who Framed Roger Rabbit was chosen for this beer for many aspects such as beer color, label and theme. Essentially, this beer was made to mimic the Manhattan cocktail drink. As such, Jessica wears a cocktail dress and the movie, while it took place in Los Angeles, the theme seems very similar to New York in the 1920’s. While her character comes off as seductive like the flavors of the beer, the strength of the beer mimics her sense of justice to help Roger out in the movie. A childhood classic, now tribute with a brew.

Evenings trying to forget the crushing mediocrity of one’s life are typically the main driver to late-night breakfast plates at unforgivingly overlit diners stacked with industrialized, frozen-dumped-in-a-fryer “food.” An interlude between sophomoric late-night antics, questionable decisions and inevitable morning regret. That’s not how I play it. For those who know how to grab life by the horns*, however, this bottle pairs even better with accomplishment, life lived out loud, and well-timed moves that often appear as luck to those not paying attention. A specifically designed midnight brunch feast with like-minded folks who not only have their wits about them but actually have wits, and an artfully prepared feast sets the more appropriate stage for this beer. The bottle is worth a special occasion. Create yours to accompany it.

*Touch mine, though, and I’ll provide you with the deepest possible understanding of the word “regret.”

Drawn Off Unfiltered

Aged in Kentucky Bourbon Barrels & Northeast Ohio Maple Syrup Barrels

==Introduction==

After several temptations, I decided to pick this up. At first, I did not want to get it since it was pricey but also since I felt that I have had plenty of good Arrogant Bastard variant reviews in. So when saw it was the barrel aged version of Depth Charged Double Bastard with maple, I fought myself and my wallet was hurt. Either way, I would like to see if this brew was well worth the price. Arrogant bastard has always been one of the best beers I have had since the beginning. Since the time I have had Double Bastard, stuff just started to grow from there and things never went back. I love everything about the series. I just haven’t had a chance to keep up with all my reviews. However, when Depth Charged kicked in, I was in love. Now with this in my possession, I can only hope that it will grow from here. Let’s take a look, cheers!

Supreme of Supremes, bucket lister of the Bastards. I was wrong, I was damn wrong for not picking this up way sooner. I am actually ashamed since I would have missed a great opportunity at such a great beer. It was so delicious in my opinion that I will do my damnest to make this one as a home brew as soon as I figure out a recipe for it. For now, if you loved the bastard for the years, you will definitely love this one.

Anime Corner:

Etna from Disgaea was used in this pairing since I always choose a character that corresponds with the characteristics of the Stone gargoyle like Lilith or Morrigan and even Asmodeus. It has been a long time and this time, I bring Etna into the mix. Her colors were always perfect for Arrogant Bastard pairings and her character has always been somewhat arrogant so it fit perfectly. Unlike the other characters, to better fit the sweet complexity of the beer, Etna’s characteristic of being caring at times and always cute fit those aspects.

2015 Fort by Dogfish Head is an 18% ABV American Strong fruit Ale brewed with Raspberry Puree.

Commercial Description:An ale brewed with a ridiculous amount of pureed raspberries (over a ton of ’em!). Fort has a Belgian-style base, then we follow a similar fermentation process to the one we use on our other super-high ABV beers, 120 Minute IPA and World Wide Stout.

==Introduction==

The return of one of my favorite Raspberry beers ever! Dogfish Head released this beer back in 2007 and 2009. I don’t think I had seen it since the last time it came out but back then it was one of the strongest beers I have ever had at the time. They released it as a 750ML so basically it would be hard to consume alone. I didn’t give a jack! So rich and juicy this was. Now on 2015, they released it once again in 12 ounce bottles. The original 750ml bottle was pricey so does not surprised me why they only sell one at a time. For 18% ABV, that’s pretty ridiculous though. Anyway, I do plan to review this beer again as I have one I bought back in 2007 and sometime this year or the next it will be at its height of aging. Let’s see how it will fair. So now, on to the review!

Overall:The glorious punch of pure raspberry power! To this day, this is the best Raspberry beer ever. I don’t down play any others since Raspberry beers rule but this… this is on some god level shit… Dogfish Head made a real winner here that I wish to see again and again. So after 9 years since I got the 750ml bottle, I think the time to bring it to the site will be soon. For the meantime, go find this!!

Anime Corner:Sakura Haruno from Naruto was used in this pairing as I used her for the original Fort. Her hair and over all colors match that of the colors, flavors and the label itself with the green colors representing the eyes of the girl in the label. Sakura is not weak by any means. She has ridiculous super human strength and her punches represent that pure raspberry punch I was mentioning earlier. The alcohol is her strength and the sweetness is her desires.

Flight Of The Angry Beast by Clown Shoes is a 10.75% ABV American Strong Ale consisting of an Smoked Imperial Stout brewed with Holy water aged in bourbon barrels, a Scotch Barrel Aged Russian Imperial Stout and an English Style Barley Wine aged in Scotch. Another Cuvee of dreams!

Label:For the fourth installment in our “Beast” series, Sir Walter Scott has finally tamed the creature, who was about to attack a group of innocent unicorns. To celebrate, we blended 1/3 Undead Party Crasher aged in bourbon barrels, 1/3 Blaecorn Unidragon aged in scotch barrels and 1/3 Billionaire aged in scotch barrels. Hooray!

==Introduction==

Another year, another incarnation of the Unidragon beast. This time, they combined the Imperial and Russian stouts with their English Style Barley wine. Each time I try these beast beers, there is always something different and unique about them. Some brews have been made specifically for certain states and are variants of the Unidragon. While I have had the opportunity to try these one offs, I am glad some really complex beasts still come about every now and again. The flight of the Angry Beast seems so cool so without further ado, let’s see what this one is about. Cheers!

Aftertaste:Good mix of Scotch and Bourbon oak in the finish along with some lingering flavors of banana, dark fruit, chocolate notes, smokey notes, marshmallow, vanilla and caramel. Slight alcohol in the taste but this does not take away from the rich complexity. Dark pitch black body, smooth, velvety and creamy mouthfeel and a sipping drinkability.

Overall:No surprise how every year, the Cuvee of different beers really brings about the really extreme and special of what Clown Shoes has to offer. The velvety flavors and spirits collide with a complex array of deliciousness. There is much that can be said when spirits get together like this and create an exceptional beer that, for me, tends to break the rating scale. Highly Recommended.

Anime Corner:Tia Harribel, Nelliel Tu Odelschwanck and Yoruichi Shihouin from Bleach have always represented some aspect of the clown shoes beers in my past reviews. Tia is the Undead Party Crasher/Vampire Slayer. Nelliel has always been the original Unidragon and Yoruichi would be added for good measures since the Porcine Unidragon came out. The blend of each beer together and the unleash of the Extremely Angry beast can be best represented when all three together are looking like bad asses powering up to team up against great foes. The strength and complexity has come together very epically that I could not think of any other pairing artwork that would be the best representative of this beer.

Label:
No one knew her actual name, Though to most she was simply Madame Marigold-Princess of The Black Parade. Each November 1st she led a procession through the town square to a makeshift altar at an unmarked grave.

Year after year, the processions grew larger and the celebrations more elaborate. Patiently she waited for him always. Yet, he never arrived.

Then one year, she too was gone. Her legacy endures as The Black Parade marches on despite her absence. Each fall, the entire village celebrates the lives of all the departed including Madame Marigold and her anonymous lover. ==Introduction==

Hoy es dia de los muertos (Today is day of the dead) and we celebrate the departed loved ones from friends to family. A time in Mexican culture many come together Producing only 60 cases, this beer is essentially Bourbon Barrel Angel Share with delicious Mexican spices and ingredients mimicking dessert drinks like Mexican Hot chocolate. This beer was released by the Lost Abbey to be purchased and obtained at their location. Which meant only one thing, road trip! I had to basically go on a long journey to visit one of my favorite breweries for a second time to get this. That and also, make it through the small time frame to purchase it. If you would like to get your hands on this Dia de los Muertos beauty, you will have to trade for it or try to find it online. Will it actually be worth the time spent driving or your time and money? Well, let’s take a look at this cerveza muerta. Salud!

Overall: An exceptional perfection no less but before I put it in the utmost bucket list, I think it needs a whole year, 2 or even 4 years to age to perfection. This reminded me so much of the Bourbon Barrel Aged Dark Lord De Muerte. The chilies do linger a bit but are mainly covered by the sweetness of it all. The Lost Abbey’s attempt at it certainly brings about the Belgian as well the deliciousness that is found in some Mexican traditional hot drinks like Chocolate Abuelita. Would it be worth seeking out? Ahuevo! (Fuck Yeah!) especially if you like Bourbon Barrel aged beers with a slight Belgian inspiration.

Anime Corner: Ryuko Matoi from Kill La Kill and original bride character were used in this pairing to pair with la novia muerta de la boda del desfile negro (The dead bride of the wedding for the black parade). The colors she has as well as her wedding dress pairs well with the label and the colors. The aspect of death and the story of where the bride waits for her beloved to return is represented as the original character holds up the head of her beloved. Pretty tragic love story like that of El Muelle de San Blas by Mana. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=teprNzF6J1I) For Ryuko though, I would say her loss of Senketsu would be something similar in the story of this beer. However, she is truly not alone as she always has Senketsu with her, she has her family and friends ( and #1 fan here 😀 ) so yeah she is awesome. That is what Dia de los Muertos is all about, togetherness.

Victoria by Inland Empire brewing is an 11% ABV American Strong Ale brewed with Orange zest and Orange Blossom Honey.

Label:Named after Victoria Avenue in Riverside where we get oranges to hand zest. The orange zest lends a slight bitterness, which together with the hops, creates a unique citrus flavor and aroma. Orange blossom honey is also added to augment the already apparent malt flavors. Enjoy!

==Introduction==

Inland Empire is making some great brews as I heard but this is actually the first time I get a shot at one of these brews. I got this one atcraftshack.comsince I have yet to even see one in my side of the neighborhood. At 11% ABV, American Strong this seems like a winner as there aren’t many American Strong beers out there that are purely Strong and do not belong to a specific style but are very rich in flavor. If that is the case, then this one must awesome! Let’s take a look a this one. Cheers!

Aftertaste:Grapefruit hops, rich honey, toffee, vanilla, stone fruit, dark fruit, earthy hints and toasted coconut hints. No alcohol in the taste, medium to full deep amber and honey body, creamy, syrupy and velvety mouthfeel and way too easy to drink despite the ABV and should be take in carefully.

Overall:Reminding me of Double Bastard but with more citrus and honey flavors, this beer is pretty damn exceptional! For being named after a Mexican Lager, this is not that light lager beer and is a completely different Victoria! The dangerous part about this beer is its drinkability. I almost finished the bottle just by trying to figure out all the goodies this posses. Citrus, Honey, Malty goodness and all around awesome. A definite winner and one I will need to seek again if I can find it. If you can find it, it is a must win win!

Anime Corner:Reiko Mikami from Ghost Sweeper Mikami was used in this pairing as I wanted to contrast the rich flavors of the beer such as the orange, honey, complex fruits and malts as well as complement the label. Mikami shows her flavors like orange and honey of her hair, green hops in her eyes and her dress of complex dark fruits. She is strong in the show as represented by the ABV and it is her sexiness that makes this beer attractive and smooth.

American Strong by Oceanside Ale Works is a 9.2% ABV American Strong Ale.

Label: American Strong is high in malt character with luscious malt complexity. Featuring six select varieties of northwestern hops, the balance is malty with a hint of fruity esters. It’s brewed in Oceanside, California, near the historic Camp Pendleton Marine Corps Base, in a city whose rich military history makes it truly American Strong. Now you can enjoy Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of great craft beer with OAW’s American Strong Ale.

==Introduction==

I was able to find this one at my local shop and this along with Daliesque, The DUDE IPA and Bleuet, this would be the 4th beer I try from OAW. Ever since Mark Purciel, owner at OAW introduced me to the video (http://www.thehopshighway.com/video/) he was interviewed in about this beer I had been meaning to try it. I finally have it and even as I write I am pretty damn excited to give this one a whirl. Such Pride, Much ‘Merica, Wow Craft Beer, Very Cheers!

Aftertaste:Rich rye, honey and caramel linger along with hazelnut, fruity notes and earthy notes as well. No alcohol in the taste, creamy mouthfeel, sipping drinkability and a caramel brown body.

Overall:Very awesome indeed! Lot’s of malty sweetness that I love from awesome beers like these reminding me almost of a Barleywine but yet more of a rye ale with some complex fruitiness. I loved this one so much I unfortunately did not save any and drank it in a sitting. Lucky it was my last beer for the night and was definitely spot on in many ways. I love malty beers and this one hit the spot for me on so many levels. Long Live America and thanks to Mark Purciel for making this awesome beer 😛 . Cheers Oceanside Ale Works!

Anime Corner:Lumisa Kosugi from La Mulana 2 was used in this pairing as I wanted to give a good representation of American and Strong and well, this awesome picture came up of this cowgirl that happens to be Japanese but proud American bringing in the whole aspect Anime pairing. I really like how bad ass she looks and goes as bad ass with the beer.

Santo Ron Diego by The Lost Abbey is a 12.5% ABV American Strong Ale brewed with ginger, orange peel cacao nibs and aged in Rum Barrels.

Label: In name, he was Diego and no one knows exactly where he was from. Everything about Diego was speculation at best. A legend of Caribbean sailing lore, many whispered he was an agent of heaven sent to protect the “ron” produced on the hill. The monks trusted only Diego for the safe passage of their remarkable liquid.

For is ship was not the fastest on the sea, but the locals whispered that he only set sail on full moon nights, when the wind of a thousand angel’s wings helped him take flight. His vessel was never boarded by pirates, nor was a single drop of the precious cargo ever lost to the seas.

To most, he always looked more of a sinner than a saint, and in truth, Diego was a wildly unpredictable, almost crusty captain. Made a saint by the Vatican after he vanished at sea, the many mysteries of Santo Ron Diego live on with us today in this beer bearing his name.

==Introduction==

I got this beer atqualityliquorstore.com.Being a fan of the Lost Abbey I was intrigued when I heard about this beer as this is their first time they do a Ron (Rum in Spanish) Barrel aged offering. Unfortunately, unless you truly like the Lost Abbey, the beers can be pricey at times except for their year round servings. It is interesting as going to the brewery is less pricey (at about 1$ per taster). Regardless, let us see how worth the price this Rum Barrel aged beer is. Cheers!

Overall:An exceptional beer for sure but the reason it wasn’t supreme exceptional has to do with some of the sharp hints at time from the spices and rum. I really think it is probably too early to drink this but I am sure it will become mellower over time. Regardless, I really enjoyed this one and think it was exceptional. I really don’t know if it is worth the price as you are only getting 375ml bottle of this. Then again, it is meant to be taken in a sip at a time. I highly recommend it though if you are willing to buy it.

Anime Corner:Terra Branford from Final Fantasy VI was used in this pairing to go with the colors of the label and the somewhat pirate aspect of using Rum barrels. In a way, Terra’s clothing has this look kinda like a pirate. That and the sword she has in the artwork kind of looks like that. In the first artwork, it displays what the beer is going through as it is infusing and evolving into something bigger through the rum. The angel wings are representative of Santo or the Saint in the name of the beer.

Jubel 2015 by Deschutes Brewery is a 10.4% ABV American Strong Winter Warmer with 50% aged in Pinot and Oregon oak barrels.

Label: Affectionately referred to as “Super Jubel”, Jubel 2015 is an imperial take on our festive winter ale. Notes of toasted caramel, raisins, dates and figs are complemented by spicy and herbal hop aromas. Originally planned as a once-a-decade-ale; we just couldn’t wait another five years.

==Introduction==

This beer was supposed to be released in 2020 but it seems Deschutes wanted to release it earlier. The story behind this legend is that there was a thief who tried to steal a keg of Jubelale. When the thief realized he couldn’t carry it anymore, the beer froze over in the winter cold. When the owner found the keg, they saw half was frozen but the concentrated remains of what was left over was legend born by accident. As a result, they released this beer in 2010 but then would release it 5 years later and age it in pinot and Oregon oak barrels. This beer I was able to obtain at bringonthebeer.comI am uncertain if all stores that sell Deschutes will get this one as it is pretty damn limited. One thing is certain though, for this only out 5 years and the colors of the label speak magic and potions, I had to get this for sure.

Overall:Damn exceptionally awesome winter warmer. The end of winter is pretty much near here and to end it perfectly as winter rolls trough St. Patrick’s, all green in color, this winter ends with a bang! On to the spring. The beer has so much damn complexity. I know it is not sour nor it is just a plain winter warmer but all the elements combined make for one ridiculously exceptional brew that is only out every 5 years. Do yourself a favor and if you can find this one for yourself, please do. You may not see nothing like it til 2020.

Anime Corner:Rydia of the Mist from Final Fantasy IV was used in this pairin to pair with the colors of the label but also the magic of aging. In the story, Rydia was young but then was swallowed by a monster (Leviathan) only to come back a full fledged adult with very power magic and summoning spells. While the monster/esper world seems to go much faster than the normal world, she had spent many years in training while it was only a few days/weeks/months in the current timeline of the game. Her development from a young joyous girl (Jubelale) to a more powerful woman (Super Jubel aged in pinot and Oregon Oak barrels). The transformation into a much more complex beer/person is what really makes this one pair the best. Such Magic, Much Power, Wow Fancy.

Chronology:6 by The Bruery is a 16.5% ABV American Strong Ale Aged in Bourbon Barrels for 6 months.

Label: TICK TOCK6 Months Oak-Aged AleThis bourbon barrel aged ale is the first in a chronologically aged series that will be released at six month intervals for a fascinating view of evolution.

Our Chronology series is an experiment with time. A single beer will aged in bourbon barrels and be released 6, 12, 18 and 24 month periods. Delicious while fresh, but existing to taste side by side upon each subsequent released as time moves forward.

==Introduction==

The Bruery released the series as stated above to the Reserve Society. They will release one every six months accordingly and people can figure out how it changes over time. This will be an interesting challenge as it will require me to go back and compare what I reviewed in the past and see what has changed, what has been added. I have done something similar with regular beers and then barrel aged in different spirits. This will be different though. So let’s take a look at how this one is shall we? Cheers!

Overall:This is obviously top notch stuff and exceptional. The fact that they are releasing every 6 months is pretty insane. I almost wish I did not only get one was a vertical of this would have been awesome. Even if they make barrel aged beers with different recipes, even their new stuff is supremely exceptional. If you can find this one and you love barrel aged beers, get it as you can’t go wrong.

Anime Corner:Rossette Christopher from Chrono Crusade is used in this pairing since I wanted to represent a character that is a bad ass and is involved with time itself. Fortunately, a lot of the colors used in the beer label work well with Rossette’s colors. A match made in anime beer heaven. This beer is like that for sure. I will have to figure the rest of the beers as they come in the series as they may or may not have the same colors.

==Introduction==This is one of those beers I had back in 2011 that was technically the strongest ale I have had at the time. I was able to hold on to another for the last 4 years and now I bring out to see how it has matured. The grand cru here is something that my friend Julio told me about so long ago about a 12% ABV beer that totally blew his mind. At the time, 12% ABV was an amazing feat and it was in a realm of beer that I really had not seen before back in 2011. So to me it was a moment where I really had to try it out. Today 12%ABV is amazing as always but there are many different beers that can reach this and higher into the 20% ABV category even. Anyway, I really wanted to try this again and bring it to the site as an amazing beer as this was so damn long ago.

Overall:What can I say but the maturity of this beer speak is many tremendous ways to me. This is a lot more delicious than when I last tried it years ago. Grand Cru beers are some of my favorite kinds of beers but when you have one that is actually bourbon barrel aged or for any matter or liquor barrel aged, it just brings about something very important about that beer that cannot be compared to many. This is quite the unique beer and many have forgotten about it being left in the underrated section of the beer self. Well, do yourself a favor and pic this amazing beer up. It is awesome!

Anime Corner:Jo from Burst Angel was used in this beer pairing long ago to represent the colors of the beer, the label and the bad assery of this beer. Her crimson eyes tell the story of many shared and cold hardships that represent her strength and complexity, just like the complexity of this beer. This beer was something I had never seen before, a Grand Cru that was barrel aged. A Belgian style with agave and aged in bourbon. Really brings about that old western side with the whole gunslinger and holsters she wears. Jo maybe gold but the more you try this beer, you take a peek into how sweet this cowgirl can really be. There is much that can be said about this beer and how it can relate to Jo but I can only leave it up to you to make your own decisions about this one.

It has been an awesome year for Firestone Walker beers and with the release of their 18th one, they add some new beers into their final blend. As with every year, this one comes with the strategy guide to basically see if you can figure out what’s what. While this is a difficult task, I try to write down as much as I can and see what new flavors this one is composed of versus the previous releases. It really does not matter sometimes as they have all beer exceptionally world class beers. Yes, don’t take my word for it, try it for yourself. Cheers!

Overall:Exceptionally great. Each release more awesome than the last. I really think this one is the best one by far. If aged, it will will definitely do wonders I am sure. This one seems to have richer flavors which I am sure were due to the addition of the Three Floyds collab and the Hydra Cuvee as well as the Stickee Monkee, Velvet Merkin and Parabola. This beer is insane and it will only get more insane as time goes on. If you can still find this goodie, definitely get it. It is one of the best!

Anime Corner:Asuka Langley/Shikinami Sohrty, Rei Ayanami, Haruko Haruhara, and many others from Neon Genesis Evangelion and Fooly Cooly (FLCL) were used in this pairing to represent some of the blends represented by this beer. It is something I have done in the past with this series of Anniversary beers. This was a great pic because not only does it show case the colors of potential ingredients used but also how each flavor tries to out do the other. Also, Haruko was used in a previous Three Floyds collaboration this year (Rue D’Floyd) which represented her wacky aspect as “Not Normal”. The addition of Firestone and Three Floyd’s collab beer into this one made it so she can be in this pairing as well. What a bad ass!. Also, Asuka and Rei have been seen in pairings like Firestone’s Double Jack so they are definitely in the right pairing here too.

I did not give you permission to pick me up, let alone drink me. Nor do I intend to. Being groped as you mutter to yourself taxes my patience. Pardon? You think you’re the only one who can hear that scattered cacophony of “thought” racing through your head? Ah, ’twere that true. While I am a master of social complexities and articulate thought, clearly you are not. I am the embodiment of unparalleled intellectual and artistic heights. You, on the other hand, bring the baggage of preconceived notions that serve only to distract.

Yet, I’ll give you one chance: Aspire to free your mind. Use a crowbar if you must. Approach me with openness, unsullied by your irrelevant “life experience.” Alternately, set me down and leave me the hell alone.

Yes, yes, I know. You don’t have to put up with this. You’re a tiger. Grrr. You go get ’em. Go tweet or otherwise enlighten the starved-for-your-opinion world of your precious insights about me. Thrill yourself imagining your three, 300 or 30,000 followers hanging on your every word. I’m sure they must. OMG, they’re waiting for you to tell them the thought you had just now.

Now close your mouth and either set me down or do your worst. What’s that? You’re going to drink a fizzy yellow beer out of spite? You got it. Self-flagellate all you like. Proclaim your unworthiness to whoever will listen, scamp.___

Behold!! You are in the presence of the return of the true King/Queen of Beers. It’s long return from slumber after a long time of not being reviewed now graces the unworthy with a might of Bourbon and Oak. While There have been other variants taking advantage of the Double Bastard and Lukcy Bastard Barrel Aged, this is the truest return of the Arrogant Bastard since my first review of the regular beer oh so long ago (https://brewerianimelogs.wordpress.com/2012/10/19/arrogant-bastard-ale-by-stone/). This beer comes in a special Stone 4 pack including the other 3 Bastards, Arrogant, Double and Lukcy. You may as well get the quad of arrogance now before they sell out or just keep going without ever knowing what could have been… cheers!!

Overall:A tad more perfect than the already perfect Arrogant Bastard. While this is Bourbon Barrel Aged, the Bourbon helps compliment the awesome sweeter flavors but the beer is still pretty damn aggressive and delicious. They should really consider selling this one individually but the fact that it comes with the other ones including the Lukcy which is the Cuvee (Grand Bastard Cru) at a reasonable price may actually make this one worth getting. You be the judge. LOL like the Arrogant Bastard says “It’s Not Expensive, You’re just Too Cheap!”

Anime Corner:Erza Scarlet from Fairy Tail was used in this pairing because I wanted to find another Bad Ass Red Head like I did with Baiken from Guilty Gear. Erza brings everything that has to do with this beer. The label, the colors, the flavors, the bitterness, the attitude, the arrogance and the dominance. Let us start with how she puts her arm to the side and looks straight into your soul like a bad ass giving off that look of pure bitter arrogance. Her hair spikes up like the wings and horns of the gargoyle. The dark surrounding with the crimson represents the flow of beer as I spends it’s time aging in the Bourbon to someday be released as such which was the Return of the King of Beers. Today is a Good Day!

Label:Brewed December 10th, 2013
The progenitor of the American strong ale style, Arrogant Bastard Ale is loaded with malt, hops and bold flavors. This audaciously complex, aggressive beer never wavers in its unprecedented celebration of intensity.

In the Mash: Classified
In The Boil: Classified
In the Whirlpool: Classified

Cellar Notes
This is our third experiment using barrels from Templeton Rye Whiskey, an artisanal spirit conjurer dating back to the Prohibition Era. Arrogant Bastard Ale’s aggressive base flavors lead the charge, followed by well-integrated whiskey flavors, lifting already intense caramel notes while adding nuances of vanilla and spice. Smooth and lingering toasted oak and coconut, developed during aging, come on strong in the finish. Deep and complex, this beer will continue to evolve with the passage of time, just as our country’s views on firewater have since the “noble experiment’s” abrogation.
___

The true king of beers has returned with an unleashing fury of honor this time equipped with extra strength and no holding back to complexity, bitterness and flavor. Why do I talk so highly of this beer? Because the original arrogant bastard has held up a lot of praise in my mind since the beginning when I first started doing reviews and getting into craft beer in general. Tasking like one bitter but potent and delicious son a of a bitch, it was no wonder I really liked it. Just like that one, I am sure this one will show no mercy either.

Aftertaste:
Leaves with caramel, rye, grapefruit, flan, piney and earthy bitter hops. No alcohol in the taste, sipping beer with close to a full body.

Overall:
Exceptionally delicious and very Bastard like. I really love how even though the super hop flavors are there, they are settled down to bring forth lots of complexity that is extremely complimentary of the Bastard showing a very special side of the bastard not seen before when done with other versions of the Bastard. I highly recommend trying this one out for sure and you may want to get another one just to savor. I just hope Stone releases these in 750ml instead.

Anime Corner:
Baiken from Guilty Gear was paired with this awesome beer as she has been used since the original Arrogant Bastard. She represents the original Bastard in the sense that she follows the arts of Bushido and honor, like the honor of Arrogant Bastard which fights the good fight against Macro tasteless beers as in the original philosophy of the Arrogant Bastard. This time, she is surrounded by the sugar canes and smoking her pipe to represent the oak and rye. The mission to not only surpass the pre-prohibition era as synonymous to bring more of the craft movement forward is ongoing and forever, she will bring the Arrogance forward as a weapon of delight!… Or so I am told, either way, don’t mess with her, she will make you pay.

Melange No. 8 will age gracefully for many years when cellared properly. Best stored and cellared arund 55 degrees Fahrenheit in a cool, dark place. ___

Bottled on 1/16/2013, this beer has been sitting for way past a year and I am sure has developed some crazy flavors. I searched all last year for this beer was unable to find it until I was able to trade it from a friend. This piece of art was so damn exclusive, that you had to be part of the Elusive and Exclusive and Expensive, Hoarders society from the Bruery. This beer, like the Kopi Luwak Coffee beans, is brewed with some very expensive coffee beans. Maybe that is why it is so exclusive. Either way, I wanted to get the review in to show case what this beer is all about.

Aftertaste: Sweet complex coffee, vanilla, caramel, purple sweet potato, chai tea, frappuccino, marshmallow and earthy notes linger. Alcohol is grown so you can kind of sense it in the taste but still not detracting too much from the flavors. A sipping beer for sure with full bodied mouthfeel.

Overall: As expected, definitely one of the greats exceeding the upper flavors as only some of the best beers I love can only do. However, this is still no Melange 3. There is a reason I gave that one a 7 and there is no way I have changed my mind from this one. Nevertheless, right next to Bourbon County Coffee Brand Stout,Mocha Wednesday and the Alesmith Kopi Luwak Bourbon Barrel Aged beers this one is one of the best worldly coffee beers out there. The only way to get this one is by basic trading unfortunately and I had a hell of time to try and get this. So if you have a bottle, now you know what it can be like, at least so far.

Anime Corner: Franco il Nero (Frank the Black) and her group of Donne Annonime and Lily Salvattana from Tre Donne Crudeli were used in this beer pairing because I wanted to find a pairing that reminded me of the worlds best coffee beer as well as match the colors. Since this beer is a blend of different beers, I mixed in the them three since I used them in many epic beers like the Bourbon County Brand Stouts variants. Since Coffee was the main aspect and a fancy coffee at that, I wanted to relate those flavors and bourbon as how they related to the old west. Many cowboys and cowgirls would drink bourbon while others would drink coffee. The blend in these together along with the Old Ale aspect of the Old West and the White Oak Sap reminding me of the hot sun was just the mix up I needed to bring this together. That and I wanted to find an excuse to use Franco il Nero in a Bruery beer since I have not done so in the past. That and the fact that her name is “The Black”, like a cup of rich fancy coffee!

Agave Maria by The Lost Abbey is a 13.5% ABV American Strong Ale brewed with Agave syrup and aged in Tequila barrels.

Label:
It was an oppressively hellish day in dusty Jalisco when I first encountered Margarita Mary. The locals preferred a more sacred name and simply called her Agave Maria. Painted on a courtyard mural over a century ago. Maria stood like a mother watching over her children protecting them as their divine inspiration.

She blessed every child birth in the village and acted as the refuge during feverish outbreak that threatened the workers. But most importantly each and every day employees dropped to their knees in prayer asking her to provide safety to the jimadors in the fields and the distilleries in the factory. Maria was simply everything to everyone.

All of the agave piñas harvested from the fields passed beneath her outstretched arms as if she was bearing witness to the liquid they would weep while the candles at her feet flickered, never being allowed to extinguish. Because we love the spirit she blesses so very much, we have released this beer in her honor. We hope that you too will find some room in your life for Agave Maria.
___

A seasonal by the Lost Abbey and I am sure I would gladly pick up more as I go. I was pretty surprised that the Lost Abbey decided to use the virgin Mary for their label. While none of it seems to be pocking fun at religion, I am sure there maybe the conservatives that may see this as blasphemous. I am a Catholic and I for one like what they have to say about this beer as it is made to honor her name, even if the name is a little different but her not is not said in vain and that is what is important. Aside from that, this beer as Tequila Barrel aged so just the thought of trying a Tequila barrel aged beer made by the Lost Abbey especially, there was no way I wouldn’t try this.

Aftertaste:
Lingering Tequila, mezcal sangria, raisins, dulce de leche caramel, toffee, bananas, . While the may seem slightly present, it does not detract from the taste nor is it harsh. A sipping yet very smooth beer. Full mouth feel but syrupy in a way as well.

Overall:
No denying it, the best Tequila barrel aged beer I have ever had and that’s a lot since there is hardly many Tequila barrel aged beers out there and of the few I have had this one, is damn amazing. Right next to the Barley wine they made (Sede Vacante), this is the next best one. So much going on here. It is almost like a Belgian quad meets Mexican tequila barrels and creates a truly heavenly beer. I am glad they are releasing this more often as many will want to try it and I am sure many will definitely be intrigued. Go get this bottle of holy!

Anime Corner:
What goes good with Agave Maria? Well, I wanted to keep this pairing very special but also wanted to be awe inspiring and artistic so I paired with it with Mary/Madonna and Child by ninebreaker of deviantart.com. Sure it may note be all the way anime, but some artistic aspects of this piece are both honoring and anime. It pairs very well with the colors of the label but also the story in the label advising about how Maria took care of her children. This is one pairing I definitely loved. Let me know what you think.

What can I say, I have never tried this beer but just the idea of trying a Rogue Anniversary beer, well, Rogue Creamery’s anniversary beer, I was like, fuck yeah. By the way, while Rogue Ales and Rogue creamery share the same name, they are indeed unique entities and to pay tribute to one another, this awesome beer was born in collaboration.

Overall:
Freaking perfect! I tried this with a piece of Munster cheese and it was damn good it really solidified the caramel aspects of the beer. You don’t need to try it with a cheese but just by itself it is very delicious. Taste more along the lines of a German Doppelbock or a winter warmer. It is very delicious regardless and I definitely think fits the Rogue creamery’s honor. Now, I should go online and buy some of their cheeses as they seem very delicious! Definitely give this one a try, I was rather intrigued by the sweet flavors this brown ale had to offer.

Anime Corner:
Original artwork by Kuromiya was chosen in this pairing to represent the delicous lactic flavors of the beer and to pair with the colors of the bottle and label. The character’s blue hair (maybe blue cheese) and flan pair with the colors. The flavors are obvious in this as it is a beer about a creamery and creameries sell puddings and sweet vanilla desserts. The pudding she is eating and her dress colors represent some of the prime flavors of the beer such as the vanilla, cherry, flan, chocolate, brown sugar, cinnamon and so forth. I can go on and say she the ribbon is like a cows horns and her breast combined with the pink dress represent the cow’s utt…oh… well sure why not 😉 . Whatever you say man. Anyways, I am sure there are other sweet things that can be said about this pairing. Oh yeah and the purple things, dark fruits!

Smokestack Series Chocolate Ale by Boulevard Brewing is a 9.1% ABV American Strong Ale brewed with cocoa.

Label:One of the brightest stars in a city filled with culinary treasures, Christopher Elbow has world wide reputation for handcrafted masterpieces. His sweets are distinguished by their use of unusual, sometimes surprising ingredients, and that adventurous spirit has left its print on this special ale. The aroma is given over to earthy, fruity, cocoa, with just a hint hops. Smooth layers of dark chocolate intertwine with threads of caramel, vanilla, and nutty malt as the flavor warms and rounds to a bitter sweet finish. ___

Picked this up at the local Ramirez Liquor in Boyle Heights California. Chocolate ales are something that definitely bring my attention. I cannot help it as they really are my favorite types of beers. Sometimes there is a Bias for chocolate beers in my reviews, but you can definitely tell. So take it with a grain of salt and try them for yourself to decide. As far as this beer goes, I was surprised by the color. This was not your typical dark beer.

Aftertaste:Chocolate, mild bittering earthy hops in the finish but mainly cinnamon and caramel linger. No alcohol in the taste. A sipping beer with a medium mouth feel.

Overall:A perfect beer but you definitely need to let it warm up to get richer chocolate flavor. It is very different at first because it falls somewhere between the colors of chocolate rain and white chocolate from the Bruery (Beer Color only). A light brown per say. The flavor is not as exceptional but it falls somewhere in the middle in terms of beer color because although I was expecting a darker beer, the lighter beer aspect still lets the chocolate shine in this beer which was very surprising. This beer is not specifically chocolate but you can tell chocolate is still there. My extra credit can only do so much for the chocolate in this beer but it may not be enough to exceed my expectations like other chocolate beers. Still recommended and worth a try.

Anime Corner:Korra from the Legend of Korra was used in this pairing because while fits in the style of my favorite character, Yoruichi, I wanted to portray an in between chocolate and white chocolate type of beer. Her wearing the outfit from Kill La Kill shows the strength of the beer as it warms up. The more she shines the more she becomes powerful. Chocolate is sexy so she definitely shines in that aspect too . This is a rare release too so she is a very rare character sometimes in these reviews .

Label: How could we hope to top last year’s Jewbelation Sweet 16 with its cupcakes, unicorns, & Satan’s Ferrari birthday cake? massive challenge. So for Year 17, we threw in a whole new dimension to our shtick – we built our very own brewery! After 17 years of contract brewing, our first Shmaltz Clifton Park batch emerged 17 months after the first draft of the business plan. Coincidence? Renaissance means “Re-birth” in French & Italian. In Buddhism, the concept does not truly translate as “reincarnation” but instead as “becoming,” or a “stream of consciousness.” 11 syllables structure a haiku. Shakespeare penned 17 comedies. In The Simpsons episode “Duffness” Homer sings “When I was 17″ about buying his first beer with a fake I.D. “I drank some very good beer. I stayed up listening to Queen, When I was 17.” In The Office, Dwight recites Rule 17 that all Schrute boys must learn: “Don’t turn your back on bears, men you have wronged, or the dominant turkey during mating season.” Knowledge and growth come in many forms. It is taught that Nirvana is only attained when the soul transcends cycles of rebirth. Looks like Shmaltz just isn’t there yet. So with 17 malts, 17 hops, and 17% ABV, JEWBEL4TIONREBORN serves as another mark of our death as a contract brewer and proof of our conversion to a new life as brewery owner…… L’Chaim!!!___

We have reached the 17th anniversary for Shmaltz and with another comes another hop, malt and ABV addition. The 15th, and 16th are exceptional in their own way but even the challenge of figuring out the differences in the beers can be quite the hectic little task. Little by no means, very big in fact. Flavors do change somewhat every year. I do hope to try and show some of those changes in this review. Got this on at Total Wine in Redondo Beach California.

Aftertaste:The aftertaste leaves off with good chocolate, citrus, anise, minor smoke, very rich lingering dark fruits. If you were to tell me this was a 17% ABV Beer I would seriously not believe you. Where the hell is the alcohol? All I get is nice bitter and sweetness. Wow they did a great job with the alcohol in this section. A must sip beer but yet something about the beer is very inviting. It drinks like a 10% or lower. This shit is awesomely dangerous and smooth. Although it starts to hit hard like a rock soon after. She is a dangerous mistress ._.

Overall:Amazingly It is a great beer. Seems a lot better with the extra addition of hops

Anime Corner:Dazzler from the Uncanny Xmen and Fan made character Rokkochan (made by king-soukutu) are used in pairing with the label colors as well as the whole Jewbelation seen like a celebration by Dazzlers powers. Do not be fooled by the cute chicks here. As a representative of the beer, they are dangerous and deadly. If the drinkability represents cuteness, then the actual 17%ABV is what gives them their strength. They are highly lethal and dangerous. So take it easy with them, be nice. Play with them now and play with them later. Too much will get you wasted on the sidewalk and pummeled

This year’s batch is very special using. The strategy guide is even longer since they had winemakers assist with the project to get the right types of blends in constructing this beer. Holy shit is all I can say about the information of how much work and effort it took to make this.

Aftertaste:Finishing off with like nice chocolate, port wine, maple syrupy notes, dark fruit oatmeal chocolate chips, marshmallows and oaky vanilla. Boozy notes here an there but everything plays well with the flavors

Overall:Every year much more complex, much more exceptional. Does it beat out it’s predecessor XVI? Well, yes and no. By that I mean, let is age for a while. You see, the early XVI did not but damn, XVI 1 year later was doing complex virtuoso rock solos around my palette. Do not let that fool you though finding the complexities is difficult even if you have Tequila added like when XVI had PNC, “holy shit nice” is what I was tasting. Parabola by itself wins over all of them only because of the extra chocolate push into into the 6/5 range for extra credit for me. XVII was able to get super close to XVI 1 year later and actually beat the younger age one especially because of the Velvet Merkin complexities to have a hug back up. Magic maybe the bloodstream of the universe like Merkin is the bloodstream of this powerhouse beer. Longer strategy guide and all, this beer still kicking your ass .

Anime Corner:Yui Takamura from the series Muv-Luv Alternative: Total Eclipe is used in this pairing to show the hard work and dedication that was used to make this beer. Also, the colors of her armor are close to the colors of the beer label and box. Along with her companions, they represent the selections of individual beers that were selected in order to bring this beer blend into fruition. The colors may also be used to represent the dark fruit flavors, brandy, bourbon, chocolate and others. The Strength of the alcohol and the hard work are also represented by the Bushido code she follows as a samurai.

Rating: 5.8/5 * This version has been aged for 1 year since it’s release

Firestone XVI Sixteenth Anniversary Ale by Firestone Walker is a 13% ABV American Strong Ale combining several blends of beers all into this fine master piece. I had saved an extra bottle from last year to present during the time that the 17th anniversary was to be released. It was stowed away for the entire year. I will not go into much detail about the label or the strategy guide as I literally wrote a book on reviewing this beer last year. This year the 17th anniversary is around the corner and will be heading to many stores all over. Therefore, I will try and pick up a bottle to bring forth a review. Hopefully better or as good as last year’s review which you can check out on the link below.

Today, I want to go over the evolution and differences that I will try and pick up from last year to see what may have changed or reviewed from last years. First thing I can already tell is that it feels boozier from last year. Could have possibly grown to a 14 or 15% ABV. The difficulty in this review is trying to get the development from last years and how the strategy guide is useless here as I cannot tell which of the individual blends has developed more as the complexity has gone beyond my understanding. Either way, cheers and wish me luck.

Aftertaste is of dark fruit, chocolate, roasted coffee beans and distinct liquor booziness. Nothing that is overwhelming or burning. In fact, it almost feels like the beer has mellowed out and gotten a bit smoother too. A definite sipper still though, this is a heavy ABV beer.

Overall:More spectacular than before. You will get more enhanced flavors like stronger dark fruit and chocolate flavors along with a bigger booziness that plays well with others. You can tell there is a difference in the liquors as well, like the tequila and bourbon. I would definitely recommend it if you missed out on last years as this one was made with PNC. This year’s is made with Velvet Merkin, so I will definitely try my best to bring that beer forward here. Definitely a pick up if you can get it.

Anime Corner:This is Shiba’i Chuutatsu from the Battle Vixens Series is the main Spoiler AlertVillain, goes by Kentei Spoiler Ends. This character, while deceiving others to be handicap, has no remorse towards others, much less her own comrades in the series. The dragon tatoos on her arms glow as she powers up her chi. She is actually very powerful when she unleashes her dragon stage. Oh yeah, she can play guitar too, go figure.

In the last beer review, I posted most of the cast of Battle Vixens “Ikki Tousen” but I also posted one of Sonsaku Hakufu, the protagonist of the series who also has the spirit of the Dragon. I have only seen he first half of the series but I understand it is her destiny to stop the villain. In both pictures here I wanted to show 2 abstracts. In the first picture I wanted to show how some of the colors of the label fit Hakufu in the picture. The cast of the series is supposed to represent the different beer blends that go into making this beer. In this beer review, we can see how they have “developed” or most of them. The colors of Shiba’i’s outfit were perfect for the label but in contrast with the development of the beer’s dark fruit, chocolate and dark cherry flavors, I wanted to show how the powerful this character was. Also, her hair is pink so that’s another fruit like cherry. You be the judge

Sede Vacante Ale by The Lost Abbey is 15% ABV American Strong Ale aged in Cognac and Brandy Barrels

Label: ===Nomen.====

…………………………………………..Eligo in Surnum Ponticem R Dmeum D Card, Mattei

…………………………………………..===Signa.===

COMMERCIAL DESCRIPTION(ratebeer.com)Sede Vacante is a blend of Barleywine aged in Cognac barrels and Brandy barrel-aged Angel’s Share and at packaging came in at 15% abv. A contemplative beer with substantial depth, Sede Vacante imparts tones of dark fruit and vanilla, with a warming finish from the Cognac. The strongest beer to emerge from The Lost Abbey, portions of the beer spent almost 5 years in a barrel. Sede Vacante can be enjoyed immediately or cellared till the next Papal Conclave, however long that may be.___

Sede Vacante or “The Vacant Holy See” is used in canon law of the catholic church when the Holy See where the Pope sits is vacant. As of February 28, 2013, pope Benedict XVI had retired from being the pope. There was a period of 13 days that passed until the new pope was chose which was pope Francis. In commemoration of the election, The Lost Abbey had released this beer. This is possibly the strongest Alcohol by Volume ale released by The Lost Abbey to date. I never got around to get this beer until recently. 8 months later, now we will see what this is all about.

The aftertaste is full of dark fruit, caramel, cognac, brandy and like a chocolate wine. This is sipper of a beer but something about it makes it, quite smooth. Very interesting. Take your time with this one. Alcohol present, yet not detracting from all the rich flavors at all. Very mellow indeed. By the way, no carbonation!!

*Overall this was a heavenly, rich, delicious, and awesome beer. A beer that ascends into something that is powerful. This beer can be aged for several years. Possibly even a decade or way longer. The Lost Abbey has been one of my favorite breweries out there making some awesome Belgian beers. This one is a definite representative of the church and all that is holy. For such a sweet, boozy but very smooth beer, I cannot help myself but feel that this one definitely exceeds my expectations for the Barleywine category. It is so damn close to a quadruple aged in bourbon barrels it ain’t even funny. Let’s just say it feels like mixing St. Bernardus abt 12 with Communion Wine and holy water. Thou art Blessed. Loving this one for sure and a highly recommend to those who seek this Vacant Holy See, Amen.

The unique blend was inspired by a favorite dessert of ours, the chocolate dipped coconut macaroon. Cacaonut is suitable for aging for up to three years. Best stored and cellared around 55F (13C) in a dark place.___

Secret recipe huh? Well, I did some research and found the blends may be White Oak Sap, Barrel Aged 5 Golden Rings and some of the Anniversary Ales. The Bruery has made some of the most exceedingly unexpected delicious barrel aged dessert beers I have ever tried. After trying several ones like Black Tuesday, Chocolate Rain, White Chocolate, Melange 3 and others, I was not expecting such beers to exceed my expectations this much. In fact, this is the reason I started to give greater than 5/5 ratings for beers that I feel truly deserve that “exceeding expectations” category. Not to mention the fact that anything that taste closest to chocolate is where I go bonkers over the beer. Just to be fair though, I will try to brake this complex monster as best I can. All I will say now before I start is this…. Almond Joy Chocolate while drinking blended tropical juices

The aftertaste is very toasty coconut milk, vanilla, chocolate, bourbon and almost like a Queso Fresco quezadilla toasted note taste. Pretty interesting but I really think it is the bready coconut in action here. A definite sipper, boozy but nothing to get in the way of ultimate complexity.

*Overall, this one is exquisitely delicious and amazing. These are the beers I wish I could drink everyday. It is beers like these that defy what beers are and what beers truly be!! (At least the dessert ones). I am fanatic of chocolate beers and pairing the coconut here gives it some very complex flavors to the already complex barrel aged blend selection as I mentioned above. I apologize if this sounds too snobby, it is not my intention. But I would like for you to take this with a grain of salt and if you get a chance to try it (and you love coconut, chocolate and tropical fruits) you will most likely love it. Unless you do not like complexity and strength in beers then you best off with something lighter. Also, as with all “Diabetes in a bottle” beers, drink and enjoy in small amounts please!!

Capricho Oscuro Batch 5 by Cigar City Brewing is a ??% ABV World Class American Strong Ale

COMMERCIAL DESCRIPTION (Ratebeer.com)This beer is a blend of at least five different beers, including Hot Blooded Foreign Stout, Puppy’s Breath Robust Porter, and several vintages of Warmer Winter Winter Warmer. These beers were aged in some cognac and brandy barrels before being blended together.___

Hard to come by, looked and looked for this piece of barrel aged treasure all over. Hard to get. Impossibly rare? Maybe, not as much as other but still it was hard to come by. This beer seems very good but very evil and mysterious. Without an ABV to gauge it, I am pretty much lost in the dark as to how strong this one is that it is kind of scary. Perfect art pairing with Majora from Legend of Zelda Majora’s Mask. Anyway, if you manage to find this one, choose wisely.

The aftertaste is pretty complex leaving trails of sweet caramel, chocolate, oak, brandy, cognac, dark fruits and a bit of port wine. This beer is a definite sipper. The alcohol is noticeable but very pleasant and warming. The alcohol only brings the rich flavors above and it is nothing harsh.

Overall this is an amazingly delicious beer, exceeding exceptions. I cannot guess the ABV from the taste which is scary but also good that it comes in a small bottle to sample. Definitely like some of the best beers in the world. Close to Melange 3, close to Black Tuesday, Grey Monday and even some of the other Bruery anniversary ales. What can I say about CCB, other than it is “The Bruery of the East Coast” making some of the best beers in the world possible like many champions. If you can find this, definitely get it.

Undercover Investigation Shut-Down by Lagunitas is a 9.6%ABV American Strong ale. Brewed with an I.B.U of 66.6

Label: We brewed this especially bitter ale in dedication to all the world’s would-be astronauts, in remembrance of the 2005 St. Patrick’s Day Massacre on the Brewery Party Grounds and also in joyous celebration of our 20-day suspension that following January. Do the crime. Do the time. Get the bragging rights. Cheers!___

This beer was very nice. It came in smelling like an IPA but also malty like a Barley wine. With fragrances of grassy, piney, citrus and grapefruit hops but also some sweeter notes of caramel, toffee, rye, biscuits and a little herbal. The flavors are of caramel, biscuit and rye bread, grassy and piney hops, sweet grapefruit, orange and lemon citrus, floral and herbal spicy hints. I wanna say this beer is closer to the Hop Stoopid level in terms of flavor but with more sweeter malts. This beer is a 9.6% so aside from being delicious, it is a kicker. Also, hardly any booziness to sense as the flavors mask all that. It will get you later trust me. A 6 pack is enough to take down any one… 😈